Cambridge International · First Language English
0990 First Language English, explained
See how 0990 is assessed and graded 9–1, straight from the official syllabus, and how our teachers help students prepare one-to-one.
What it is and who sits it in Malaysia
Cambridge International 0990 belongs to the First Language English strand of IGCSE / International GCSE English. It is graded on the 9–1 scale. Malaysian international schools choose their board and strand to suit their students. Private candidates and homeschoolers can sit it through an authorised centre. If you are unsure which code your child is entered for, the school's examinations office can confirm.
This is the 9–1-graded version of Cambridge International 0500. The content and the teaching are the same. Schools enter one or the other, and only the grade scale differs.
How we teach it
Your child works one-to-one with an experienced English teacher who teaches to this board's papers. Lessons combine reading and writing, timed practice and close work on the mark scheme. Read about First Language English tuition to see how lessons run. The First Language English syllabus pages explain the skills involved.
How Cambridge International 0990 is assessed
Every candidate takes Paper 1 (Reading). They then take either Paper 2 (Directed Writing and Composition) or Component 3 (Coursework Portfolio). Component 4 (Speaking and Listening Test) is optional and is endorsed separately. Its marks do not count towards the overall A*–G grade; certificates record grades 1 (high) to 5 (low) for it. Reading and Writing are each 50% of the qualification.
| Component | Time | Marks | Weight | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Reading Four compulsory questions on three reading texts, answered on the question paper. Question 1 is comprehension on Text A (20 marks). Question 2 is a summary of no more than 120 words plus a short-answer question on Text B (20 marks). Question 3 is short-answer questions plus a language task of about 200–250 words on Text C (20 marks). Question 4 is an extended response to reading of about 250–300 words (20 marks). | 2 hours | 80 | 50% | External |
| Paper 2: Directed Writing and Composition Section A, Directed Writing (40 marks): a two-part question on one or two texts of 550–650 words in total. Part (a) is a structured analysis question and part (b) is a speech, letter, article or report of about 250–350 words. Section B, Composition (40 marks): one title from four choices (two descriptive, two narrative), of about 350–450 words. | 2 hours | 80 | 50% | External |
| Component 3: Coursework Portfolio A portfolio of three assignments of about 500–800 words each: Assignment 1 (30 marks) writing to discuss, argue and/or persuade in response to a text or texts; Assignment 2 (25 marks) writing to describe; Assignment 3 (25 marks) writing to narrate. The first draft of one assignment is included but is not marked. | n/a | 80 | 50% | Internal (moderated) |
| Component 4: Speaking and Listening A speaking test with no question paper, recorded as one: Part 1 Individual Talk (3–4 minutes, 20 marks) and Part 2 Conversation (7–8 minutes, 20 marks). Marks do not count towards the grade. Where the candidate reaches the standard, the certificate records grades 1 (high) to 5 (low). | Approx. 10–12 minutes | 40 | Endorsement (separately endorsed) | Internal (centre-assessed, externally moderated) |
Who takes each component
- Paper 1: All candidates
- Paper 2: Candidates not entering Component 3
- Component 3: School-based alternative to Paper 2
- Component 4: Optional
Graded on the 9–1 scale (2027–2029 syllabus).
What the exam rewards (assessment objectives)
Candidates are assessed on the skills below. We paraphrase them from the board's official syllabus.
Reading
- R1. demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings
- R2. demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes
- R3. analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions, using appropriate support from the text
- R4. demonstrate understanding of how writers achieve effects and influence readers
- R5. select and use information for specific purposes
Writing
- W1. articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
- W2. organise and structure facts, ideas and opinions for deliberate effect
- W3. use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to context
- W4. use language appropriate to purpose and to engage the audience
- W5. make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar
Speaking
- SL1. articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
- SL2. present facts, ideas and opinions for deliberate effect
- SL3. communicate clearly, purposefully and fluently appropriate to context
- SL4. use register appropriate to context
- SL5. listen and respond appropriately in conversation
Requirements can change between syllabus versions. Confirm the structure for your child's exam year with the school or the board's syllabus, linked below.
For Cambridge International 0990, the trial hour is a real lesson. The teacher looks at your child's work and shows how the papers are marked.
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